Daily Press editor's life as award-winning novelist

Felicia Mason of York County lives a dual life. Some people recognize her as one of the faces of the Daily Press Feedback column. She also oversees the Good Life section of the newspaper.

But in her spare time, Mason is a motivational speaker and novelist whose stories explore romance and family relationships across small-town America. For her efforts, she has received national recognition and several writing awards.

According to her profile on publisher site harlequin.com, Mason is "a two-time winner of the Waldenbooks Bestselling Multicultural Title Award, has received awards from Romantic Times, Affaire de Coeur and the Midwest Fiction Writers, and has won the Emma Award in 2001 for her work in the bestselling anthology 'Della's House of Style.' Glamour magazine readers named her first novel, 'For the Love of You,' one of their all-time favorite love stories, and her novel 'Rhapsody' was made into a television film."

Several years ago Mason took a step back from fiction-writing but is back with two brand-new titles this year, and more planned.

In "Hidden Riches" (Kensington), released in February, Mason examines the intricacies of family relationships as three adult siblings travel to their (fictional) hometown of Drapersville, N.C., for the funeral of older sister Ana Mae Futrell. Once there, they find Ana Mae has left them a challenge. They discover a far different sister than the one they left behind years earlier to pursue their lives in bigger, more exciting locales. The book is available from major retailers in eBook, paperback and hard cover (large print) for about $9, $12 and $30, respectively.

"The Fireman Finds a Wife (Cedar Springs)," published earlier this month from Harlequin's Love Inspired line, tells the story of a budding romance between widowed Summer Spencer and fire chief Cameron Jackson who worries he won't meet the expectations of her wealthy family. The book is available from the publisher and major retailers in paperback and eBook, ranging from approximately $5 to $6.

Recently Mason answered a series of questions about her writing life. Here are her answers:

It’s been several years since your last new release. You stated in the Q&A section at the back of the book that at the time you’d been writing “pretty much nonstop,” and that you purposely took a break to “rejuvenate the well.” Since then you discovered the importance of balance in maintaining a writing career.

What do you do differently now to fit writing into your busy schedule and still retain that balance?

What is your writing schedule on a typical day?

What happened years ago is that I was essentially working 2½-full-time jobs within those 24 hours we’re granted each day. I worked here full-time at the Daily Press, wrote on a full-time schedule – meaning writing two and a half books every year -- and on the weekends I was always on the road either leading workshops, teaching or doing book signings. After a long day in the newsroom, I would get home and write from about 11 p.m. until 3 a.m. and then, not too many hours later, was up and back at it at the newspaper. Instead of getting some rest on the weekend, I was either on a plane or in a car headed somewhere. It was an exhausting way to live and to create. And something had to give. You can only push yourself that way for so long before there’s a collapse.

Now, my goal is to write every day. But more often than not, I miss that mark. Unlike years ago, I don’t beat up myself about not meeting that daily goal. I get most of my writing done on the weekends and in the evenings. And I meet with a group of writer friends every Wednesday. We chat for a few minutes and then everyone just writes.

My haunts are the library, Panera, Starbucks, IHOP and Barnes & Noble. It really bummed me out when the IHOP on Jefferson Avenue in Newport News recently stopped being a 24-hour restaurant. I could be found there many a night in a corner with my laptop or notebook. Shout out here to Nicole, an awesome IHOP server who always kept the tea coming!

I’m a “café” writer at heart – solo, but in the company of others. I love the energy that comes from being around other people. I tune out the background noise of restaurant music systems, people’s conversations (although sometimes there are some very interesting ones), etc., and focus on the story and the page.

In your acknowledgments, you mention the help you received from members of the Pagan River Writers group.

Can you suggest ways for authors to meet other writers?

What should one look for in either a writing group or critique partners?

Since the very beginning, I’ve been in critique groups. The first one was formed in 1993 after I attended my first romance writers’ conference, Step Back in Time, that was at the time a biennial conference in Williamsburg put on by Virginia Romance Writers. When you go to any type of conference or seminar you leave with enthusiasm and energy. You’re ready to change the world. Well, there were five of us sort of milling about the hotel after the conference. We decided to grab some lunch and from there we decided to form a critique group. Three of them eventually dropped out, but two of us stayed at it. And both of us ended up published.

So, to answer your question, the best way to meet other writers is to find your tribe. Find the people who write what you write and join that organization. There is an “… of America” for just about every type of writing. For example, Mystery Writers of America, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, etc. Writers in Hampton Roads are blessed with a bounty of writers’ groups. There are groups for poets, romance writers, mystery writers, general fiction writers, Christian writers and the like, as well as open mic nights all across the region. The multi-day writers’ conferences sponsored by Christopher Newport University, Old Dominion University and Hampton Roads Writers are good places to start. In addition to workshops and speakers, you’ll meet writers, editors and agents. Local bookstores, the chains and the independents, frequently have or host writers’ events.

Finding a critique group that works is a lot like dating. Not every person you go out with is going to be the right match. Through the years, I’ve been all kinds: some were terrific, others not so much.

Decide what you want out of a group. Are you looking for constructive criticism or do you want people to just tell you everything is wonderful? Do you want a social or support group with a focus on talking about writing and the industry? Do you prefer a group setting where you get to try out your new material by reading it to others? Do you just need someone to be accountable to? Are you looking for line edits or big picture observations on the writing? Do you want to be with writers who are doing the same type of writing as you (i.e. all mystery writers or all literary fiction) or do you prefer a mix? Does it matter if everyone is at the same level in their writing career? Those are just some of the questions to consider.

There are all kinds and formats of critique groups. The members set the ground rules.

Oh, and by the way, the Pagan River Writers is not a local writers’ group. We’re a critique group made up of a few local journalists by day who do fiction at night.

Aliquippa, Pa., is noted as your hometown in your press release. What brought you to Hampton Roads and how long have you lived here?

College initially brought me to the Peninsula. I did my undergraduate work at Hampton Institute (now University). After graduation, I returned to Pennsylvania where I was a reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette before heading to grad school. I moved back to Hampton Roads – and the water! – after graduating from Ohio State.

When did you first start writing stories?

Basically when I learned how to hold a pencil. On my blog http://feliciamason.blogspot.com is a post on the theme “I Know I’m a Writer Because… .” Here’s my answer:

“I Know that I’m a Writer Because…. It’s the only thing that I have ever returned to, the thing that nags at me, that compels me. Even when I’m not actually putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, I’m composing scenes and scenarios in my head. When I was in elementary school, I was often “caught” daydreaming, staring out the windows looking at the trees. I wasn’t daydreaming. I was writing stories. On the playground playing hopscotch with friends, I created elaborate love stories for each of us with our favorite TV and movie stars serving as our heroes with the happily ever after. By junior high, I was writing episodes of my favorite television shows. When I got to college, I was going to be a psychology major, but I took one look at all of those science and math courses and asked, “Where is the department where people write?” My heart and soul knew who and what I was, even if my head had not yet figured it out. I’ve spent my life writing. It’s what I am, who I am and why I am.”

What was your first book (published or unpublished)? What happened to it?

The first book I ever wrote and finished was done in longhand while I was in high school. Yes, I still have it. Yes, it’s probably awful.

From high school on, I started many novels and plays and never finished them. My first novel came out of that 1993 conference I mentioned earlier. I was determined not to let the energy and enthusiasm from that conference dissipate. My goal was to start a novel and get to The End. For me, that was the most important thing, the big goal was getting to The End. I gave myself a deadline of getting it done in four months. I did. That manuscript went on to be “For The Love of You,” which was published by Kensington Publishing Co.’s Arabesque line of African-American romance novels. Kensington was the first major publisher to take on multicultural romances and they launched a lot of careers of authors who are still writing and publishing.

Does your background in journalism help you in writing fiction? Conversely, does your experience writing fiction help you with your responsibilities as a news editor? (How do the two complement each other…or vice versa?)

Long question, short answer. Writing is writing. You just use different parts of the brain to produce the material. One is fact based, the other is imagination with some facts included.

What five tips can you offer for readers who are thinking about writing as a career?

Never give up. Rejections will come. They just mean you’re doing your job. Sometimes the writing will flow, at other times it will be so hard you wonder why you thought you could do it. You can. Keep writing.

Set goals, and diligently work toward them.

Read. Everything. Even the things you think you aren’t interested in or don’t like. You learn from reading both good writing and bad writing. Read in your genre. Read in a genre you’re not that interested in. Read the classics. Read about writing and writers. Read the Bible as literature. Read poetry. Read self-help books and articles. Read magazines and newspapers and cereal boxes. Just read.

Live your life. From life comes experience and curiosity and challenges and mostly life provides ideas. Ideas can be turned into stories.

Never give up on yourself or your dream. Be encouraged … and keep writing!